Lykes Bros. & Asbestos

Workers Exposed to Asbestos

The company was set up in 1900 to offer shipping between the U.S. and Caribbean ports. It underwent a series of acquisitions – by Interocean Steamship Corp, CP Ships and TUI AG. In a famous 1984 case, Lykes was accused of exposing workers to raw asbestos during the course of its transportation in improper conditions. This was just one type of exposure, besides the many instances in which employees came into contact with asbestos in the ship’s insulation and construction materials.

Our Specialists Provide Asbestos Screenings Free of Charge to Former Lykes Bros. Workers

Although the company was not manufacturing hazardous products itself, Lykes Bros. contributed to toxic exposure to a considerable extend by shipping raw asbestos to various Caribbean ports. Everyone who handled the cargo is now at risk for developing harrowing diseases like COPD or mesothelioma and numerous people have already received such a diagnosis over recent years. For instance, in 1984, a 63-year old longshoreman from Texas by the name of Guiseppe Castorina took legal action against Lykes Bros. for having developed asbestosis as a consequence of working on the Galveston docks from 1955 to the moment of filing the lawsuit. While the company has been faced with numerous asbestos lawsuits since then, it was not needed to seek bankruptcy protection and thereby does not have a trust fund people can directly recover compensation from.

Nonetheless, with the help of a lawyer who specializes in asbestos litigation, you have significant chances of obtaining the money you are entitled to from the liable company. Along with their skilful legal team, our attorneys have been dealing with asbestos cases since 1990 and have so far recovered over $1.4 billion for victims of exposure. The first step you have to take if you intend to file a lawsuit against Lykes Bros. is to contact us. We will promptly put you in touch with one of our lawyers, who will carefully assess your situation and suggest the best approach for recovering compensation. The only documents you need to provide are your employment and medical records. If, however, you do not have a diagnosis but experience distressing symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing and have a history of workplace asbestos exposure, our medical experts will be glad to evaluate your chest X-ray for free. They will let you know with certainty if you should have a cause for concern with regard to the health of your lungs. For more information, do not hesitate to give us a call and we will gladly answer all your questions.

Call 205.328.9200

Asbestos Screening

The Spouses and Children of Lykes Bros. Workers, Also at Risk for Asbestos Exposure

During the heyday of asbestos, the safety and wellbeing of workers were not a priority for company executives, who were mostly following their financial interest. While they were fully aware asbestos was highly carcinogenic to human health, they continued using the mineral, as it was extremely convenient – it had plenty of exploitable properties, as well as a low cost. Striving to cut down on the costs as much as possible, they would not even provide employees with protective equipment to wear on the job and showers were not available either in most facilities. Accordingly, it should not come as a surprise that asbestos fibers often escaped industrial settings and made their way into the household of workers. Subsequently, their family members would inhale or ingest toxic fibers, which could prompt lung cancer or another terrible disease several decades later.

If you suspect your current diagnosis is the result of living in the same house as a Lykes Bros. worker, we strongly encourage you to seek legal assistance at your earliest convenience. However, keep in mind that only a legal professional who specializes in this area of practice, namely asbestos litigation, will be able to help you recover the compensation you are entitled to, as they have the knowledge and resources to pursue your case. Our attorneys have nearly 30 years of experience in asbestos litigation and have aided over 230,000 asbestos victims hitherto. Therefore, we are confident we will be able to handle your secondary asbestos exposure case, no matter of how difficult the endeavor might turn out to be. Contact us now and claim the money you deserve!